udge Michael Llamas recently sentenced Edward Altum, 71, Newton, to 17 years in prison for the murder of his wife, Peggy.Altum previously pled no contest to a charge of second-degree murder for shooting Peggy Altum, 74, on Dec. 15, 2023. Altum originally pled not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder before changing his plea under a deal in February of 2024 to lower the charge to second-degree murder. He also pleaded no contest to an aggravated assault/battery charge. According to his sentencing document, Altum will serve a combined 208 months in prison for the two crimes. He has already spent 459 days in jail, and those days will be applied toward his sentence.
Altum would be near the age of 87 when his sentence would expire. According to past court documents, on Dec. 15, 2023, officers responded to the Altums? house in Newton at 1:45 a.m., and Altum exited the front door with his hands raised. He told officers that someone had shot his wife. Peggy died the next day at Wesley Medical Center from multiple gunshot wounds.
Officers found a .22 caliber revolver at the residence, as well as expended shell casings on the kitchen floor and in a trash receptacle. The court affidavit said the casings matched the kind that would be used in the revolver. Investigators found no evidence of forced entry, and a person interviewed told police Altum did own a .22 revolver similar to the weapon found in the house. (c) Harvey County Now, Newton, Kansas. Thursday, April 17, 2025.
